


Rough Nights

by dnai



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Gen, Rough Nights, Stress, but they're too stubborn to do it, these two really need to hug each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 02:49:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15572031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dnai/pseuds/dnai
Summary: Aaron Hotchner is not quite as good at hiding his emotions as he thinks he is.Rossi lets him believe it.Or, two very stubborn FBI agents try to comfort each other and are marginally successful.





	Rough Nights

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I have no idea what this is. It's pretty short and unedited - might come back to it later.   
> this is as far as i got on what i wanted to be a longer fic about how the whole team handles the stress of their jobs, but the muse wasn't having it. Hope you can find something to like in here.

Aaron Hotchner was the epitome of professionalism. Any discussion of his personal life or struggles with anyone at work was completely out of the question. He stayed carefully closed off, locked away from his emotions until he was safe in his empty bedroom where no one would be able to hear him. 

Sometimes he screamed, sometimes he sobbed. He always stared, either at his hands, the floor, or the ceiling. These nights were not for sleeping. They were not for comfort, or hope, or anything but his misery. The misery, which, come morning, would be boxed up and hidden away until he could not contain it any longer. 

David Rossi knew more about this than Aaron thought he did. Having gone through it himself for years, especially since The Case, he knew the signs. He also knew that anyone as proud as Aaron Hotchner would never get past that pride to do something as radical as asking for help. Luckily, he didn’t need to be asked. 

Occasionally, Rossi would get a short conversation out of Hotch. Most of the time, his help came in the form of a silent invitation to share a drink and the knowledge that someone understood. Only once did his help come in the form of anger. Anger at the pride that brought Hotch to a low that Rossi unfortunately understood. Hotch tried to help Rossi in the same ways, but Rossi was quite possibly the most stubborn man Aaron knew. 

They dealt with things. Mostly on their own, occasionally together. Nearly always quietly, and never loud enough for the rest of the team to hear. They all had their own demons, and their own ways to deal with a rough night. 

Most of the time, it didn’t involve working themselves to exhaustion because they couldn’t bring themselves to poison their homes with their current thoughts.   
That was Dave’s way. That was Aaron’s way. And they got through it.


End file.
